Except For You ~ {Fred Weasley}

Chapter 20

I was pacing back and forth in the Library, Cedric sitting down watching me. After about thirty minutes he jumps up, holds my shoulders and stares down at me. “Calm. Down. You’ve repeated the same statements for thirty minutes, and now- now you’re crying? y/n, are you okay?” I collapse to the floor, tears streaming down my face.
“I’m not. I’m not okay. How screwed up is he? And how screwed up is it that I still like him? After all that? And now I’ve ruined any chance…” I trail off into sobs into my hands. He kneels down, takes my hands away from eyes and hugs me. I cry into his shoulder. “I’m so sorry, for everything. I met you last night and now I’m crying in front of you telling you that-”
“It’s okay! Really. How long have you been bottling those feelings up?”
“Last year. I think.” He low whistles.
“That’s tough.”
“And what’s worse is that I’m telling you! I met you-”
“Last night, I know. But it’s okay. Why don’t you tell me all about this Fred Weasley thing?” He asks, standing me up and taking me over to a couch. My lower lip trembles and feels slippery because of all my tears. I nod, and dive into the story that started when we were in first year. Occasionally he’ll exclaim things like, ‘He did not!’, or, ‘That jerk!’. I think he did it just to make me feel better. By the time I’ve gotten to the end we are laughing.
“And, well, now we’re here.” He sits and stares at me for a moment. Then a grin breaks out on his face. “What?”
“You said you liked me as well.”
“I would go out with you or something, but I’m not allowed to date until I’m sixteen.”
“I’ll wait.” I smile softly, move over and rest my head on his shoulder.
“Thanks. For everything.”
“What are friends for?”
I laugh. “You know a lot of my secrets. We’re waay past friends now Diggory.”
“Bragging rights then.”
“What?”
“You get to brag that you’re friends with one of the most popular guys in school, and I get to brag that I know the deepest secrets of the most mysterious girl in school.”
I roll my eyes. “You don't know my deepest secrets. Only my therapist does."
"You have a therapist?"
"No. Unless you count Del. But, sure. We’re bragging rights Diggory. Bragging rights.” We laugh for a moment, then I jolt upright. “You do realise that we’re not a thing right?”
“Of course. I told you. I’ll wait.”
“Good. Some guys are super thick.”
“I can’t think of anyone like that.” He rolls his eyes and we laugh.
“Genuinely, thank you Cedric.”
“No worries. Do you wanna get some food?”
“Sure. I haven’t eaten much today.”
“Let’s go.” He stands up and holds out his hand for me to hoist myeslf up, which I do. We’re just walking out of the Library when Del runs up to me.
“You don’t mind if I steal her, do you?”
“Er, no! Go ahead.” Del smiles, grabs my wrist, and rushes me down to the dungeons.
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah! But you’re not.”
“Um, okay?”
“Listen. I saw that whole ordeal about Fred Weasley and-”
“You listen. I don’t wanna talk about it. I just want to get something to eat and-”
“Shh! Just wait here for a moment.” She pulls me behind a wall and we wait for a few minutes. Then we hear someone coming down towards us.

“...she doesn’t want to talk to me anymore, remember.” Mr Trouble mumbles miserably. My stomach plummets from guilt, but my head explodes from anger.
“Freddie, she said you can’t talk to her until she talks to you. That means she is going to. Some time in the near future hopefully. Now, Del told me that she has a thing for you.” I look at my best friend in vehemence, but she just shrugs, mouthing the words, ‘It had to be done!’ I roll my eyes and continue listening.
“She- she has a thing for me?” He stammers.
“Yep! But, she also has a thing for that Hufflepuff.” There was a pause. “You know, that one you shouted at and then she shouted at you for shouting at him incorrect information?”
“Hey, I just wanted him to know that I planned on asking her out soon!”
“Yeah, well, you never said that to him.”
“It was implied.”
“Implied in what? Back off because she’s mine even though I haven’t even said anything romantic to her yet?” Del covers her mouth to hide a laugh while I roll my eyes.
“Well, he met her last night, did he not? I’ve known her my entire school life!”
“That doesn’t give you any right.”
“ ‘Spose not. I couldn’t even say sorry. You know how much she means to me, Georgie. And I ‘spose she knows it as well if she heard that dumb monologue.”
“Freddie, I don’t think it was dumb as much as it was true. Foolish idea, yes, but true. I think she needed to hear it actually, push her off the fence of teasing.”
“I don’t think you're wrong, but I think I was wrong to spring it onto her in the middle of the night.” By now we were walking with them. We had silently slipped off our shoes so it was harder to hear the padding of our feet on the hard floor.
“Well, as soon as she talks to you again, say you’re sorry you idiot. She really needs to hear it.”
“Don’t you think I know that? That I’m sorry for liking her so much I didn’t want anyone else to like her so I had more of a chance? That I’m sorry for bugging her all the time because I had no idea how to say I’m sorry for being twins with the biggest idiot on earth?” I could practically feel the hatred and sorrow on his face, the tears stinging his eyes. No, wait. They were… mine? I was tearing up?
“Let’s go.” I whisper to Del, who, spotting my tears, nods and slips silently away with me.

“So..."
“What was the point? What have I found out?”
“He really likes you. He knows he messed up. You ought to give him a chance.”
“I can’t do that.”
“Because you like Cedric?”
“Because I told Cedric I couldn’t date him. How’ll it look to him when I start with Gideon?”
“Okay, you need to stop with the nicknames. Plus, you don’t actually have to date him. Just tell him how you feel.”
“Thanks to someone, he already knows how I feel.”
“Let him hear it from you though. He needs it. After all, you kinda did publicly humiliate him an hour ago.”
“Fine! Just not now. I wanna sleep.”
“Don’t we all?” We laugh. “Come on. I have homework and I’ll be terribly saddened if you’re not there.” She says dramatically.
“Go ask your boyfriend!”
“Nah. I’ve spent lots of time with him and not enough with you. Come on.”
“Fine.”

I wake up what seems a lifetime later. I lift my head a pull a piece of parchment from my cheek. Me and Del were up late studying, and we accidentally fell asleep.
Light streams in through the windows above us, giving the place an airy feel.
Empty mugs sit beside us, and books are strewn all over the place.
I start packing up, and Del wakes a minute later.
"Hey."
"Hey." I say back, continuing to organise the place. She yawns and starts helping.
"When are you going to talk-
"Next week." I answer quickly. She looks at me curiously. "I need to wrap my head around everything." I add, and she nods.
"Take as long as you need. Mr Trouble can wait."
I smile. "Yeah, he can."
We pack up quickly, then head to our dorms to get changed for classes.
I have Herbology next, with the Hufflepuffs. Thankfully.
What I would give for a Gryffindor-free day. But, unfortunately, I have Charms after lunch. Oh well. At least I have good classes.

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I didn't know when to end it, so I ended it here. 乁⁠(⁠ ⁠•⁠_⁠•⁠ ⁠)⁠ㄏ
Also, twenty chapters. Accomplishment. 😎